Douchebag Guide Experience in the Gunks

Curious if anyone has ever had a similar experience. So the wife and I are out climbing in the Gunks. We’re actually out there once or twice a week. We frequently see guides, instructors, classes etc. I’m climbing a route called City Lights, which is a 5.8. A Gunks 5.8, so it’s on the “holy shit” end of 5.8’s I guess. I just broke into the grade (in the Gunks, not in general), so this is my third 5.8 I’ve climbed there.

I’m about half way up the 80’ or so route. Well past the crux, and the route is well protected. I kinda throw/grab for this ledge. As I do that, I find it’s actually pretty sandy on top (recent rain). So, now I’m struggling my way up. I don’t have the ledge, and I don’t have feet, but I’m inching and inching my way up. All of the sudden, some total ass hat starts yelling at me. I can tell it’s not my wife, so I don’t know what the f*ck is going on. Totally breaks my concentration and I have myself a whip. Not bad. It’s a fairly smooth face so I just slid a bit until my figure 8 said “good luck with me buddy”.

This total dick proceeds to tell me that I really should lower down and call it a day on that route. I never fell till he started yelling!!! He continues to tell me that from where I was, for the complete rest of the route, there’s no pro at all. I have the beta for the route. I’m well aware there’s great pro. I told him I can see it from where I am. He then tells me “Well I climb out here 175 days a year and I know that route and there’s nothing”. Then actually tells my wife that she should convince me to come down. I know he’s lying to me about the lack of pro and I’m not leaving booty on this rock for him. So both my wife and I completely ignore him and I start making my way up again. As I’m climbing, my wife can overhear him telling his (all female) group that safety should be first and not ego blah blah blah I’m the best climber in the world diarrhea out my mouth etc. 

I end up climbing the rest of the route fairly easily, sewing it right up. The guy says nothing to me when I reach the top, nothing when I lower down, and nothing as we pack up and leave. Not only that, this nimrod can’t even look in my direction, as I’m just smiling.

It would be one thing to say something to me after I whipped (which I can thank him for his part in). But to just be yelling randomly at a climber on the wall to get off??? Anyone else ever experience this douchebaggery??? Dude, if you only climb things completely in your comfort zone that you’re absolutely sure you’ll never fall on, do your thing. But leave me the f*ck alone to do mine. Prick does that again and I’m cramming my #3 directly up his psycho-level egotistical fudge knot.
(End of rant) 

Scott Doering wrote:

Dude, if you only climb things completely in your comfort zone that you’re absolutely sure you’ll never fall on, do your thing. But leave me the f*ck alone to do mine. 

Did you tell him this in person or are you just hoping he’ll stumble onto this post and realize the error of his ways?

F Wheeler wrote:

Did you tell him this in person or are you just hoping he’ll stumble onto this post and realize the error of his ways?

I would’ve loved to, but I was hanging by a rope about 60’ away from him. So it just didn’t seem like a good time. But, I really would’ve loved to. However, I’ll settle for sewing the whole route up good in person. 

Nah you lost street cred by not letting him have it in the moment.

BigCountry wrote: Nah you lost street cred by not letting him have it in the moment.

I did a bit. I feel bad about that. Dickweeds need to know they’re dickweeds. Guess I was caught off guard a bit? Never experienced anything like that..

With the population explosion of climbers especially in crowded areas like the Gunks we are going to be seeing a lot more of this kind of behavior. During a trip to El potrero Chico recently I walked by a male guide leading a moderate route with 2 female clients. One of the clients was belaying him. The two were conversing quietly.  The guide said sternly: NO WHISPERING! We kept walking to our next route to escape this boring situation. I think that stupid things like this stand out because the overwhelming majority of climbers are happy and congenial. 

Scott Doering wrote:

Curious if anyone has ever had a similar experience. So the wife and I are out climbing in the Gunks. We’re actually out there once or twice a week. We frequently see guides, instructors, classes etc. I’m climbing a route called City Lights, which is a 5.8. A Gunks 5.8, so it’s on the “holy shit” end of 5.8’s I guess. I just broke into the grade (in the Gunks, not in general), so this is my third 5.8 I’ve climbed there.

I’m about half way up the 80’ or so route. Well past the crux, and the route is well protected. I kinda throw/grab for this ledge. As I do that, I find it’s actually pretty sandy on top (recent rain). So, now I’m struggling my way up. I don’t have the ledge, and I don’t have feet, but I’m inching and inching my way up. All of the sudden, some total ass hat starts yelling at me. I can tell it’s not my wife, so I don’t know what the f*ck is going on. Totally breaks my concentration and I have myself a whip. Not bad. It’s a fairly smooth face so I just slid a bit until my figure 8 said “good luck with me buddy”.

This total dick proceeds to tell me that I really should lower down and call it a day on that route. I never fell till he started yelling!!! He continues to tell me that from where I was, for the complete rest of the route, there’s no pro at all. I have the beta for the route. I’m well aware there’s great pro. I told him I can see it from where I am. He then tells me “Well I climb out here 175 days a year and I know that route and there’s nothing”. Then actually tells my wife that she should convince me to come down. I know he’s lying to me about the lack of pro and I’m not leaving booty on this rock for him. So both my wife and I completely ignore him and I start making my way up again. As I’m climbing, my wife can overhear him telling his (all female) group that safety should be first and not ego blah blah blah I’m the best climber in the world diarrhea out my mouth etc. 

I end up climbing the rest of the route fairly easily, sewing it right up. The guy says nothing to me when I reach the top, nothing when I lower down, and nothing as we pack up and leave. Not only that, this nimrod can’t even look in my direction, as I’m just smiling.

It would be one thing to say something to me after I whipped (which I can thank him for his part in). But to just be yelling randomly at a climber on the wall to get off??? Anyone else ever experience this douchebaggery??? Dude, if you only climb things completely in your comfort zone that you’re absolutely sure you’ll never fall on, do your thing. But leave me the f*ck alone to do mine. Prick does that again and I’m cramming my #3 directly up his psycho-level egotistical fudge knot.
(End of rant) 

Quoting for history, just in case.

How did you know he was a guide as opposed to some rando from a gym 'guiding' two other gymbies? Did you recognize him? Did you get his name and what guide service he works for?

Marc801 C wrote:

Quoting for history, just in case.

How did you know he was a guide as opposed to some rando from a gym 'guiding' two other gymbies? Did you recognize him? Did you get his name and what guide service he works for?

He had climbed past the op on a previous route wearing approach shoes… 

I'd love to hear the other side of this story. 

OP, sounds like you were going to blow it regardless if someone started telling at you or not. In any case, that's a super uncomfortable experience. It's not that uncommon to interact with "know it all's" who spray you down with unsolicited advice but it's something I see more frequently with low lever/beginner climbers and hikers. Good luck and keep huckin!

175-days a year, you'll see him again. When you do, wait till he's leading, then shout up at him to get the fuck down. Lecture whoever he is with about not letting ego on the sharp end blah blah. 

Trip report chapter-2 please, afterward?

Cherokee Nunes wrote:

175-days a year, you'll see him again. When you do, wait till he's leading, then shout up at him to get the fuck down. Lecture whoever he is with about not letting ego on the sharp end blah blah. 

Trip report chapter-2 please, afterward?

I’ll just write down “How To Protect City Lights” and leave it in my bag for the tool 

Its kinda obvious to me he wanted to get his clients on your line and was playing mind tricks on you, I know how they work.

Scott Doering wrote:

Curious if anyone has ever had a similar experience. So the wife and I are out climbing in the Gunks. We’re actually out there once or twice a week. We frequently see guides, instructors, classes etc. I’m climbing a route called City Lights, which is a 5.8. A Gunks 5.8, so it’s on the “holy shit” end of 5.8’s I guess. I just broke into the grade (in the Gunks, not in general), so this is my third 5.8 I’ve climbed there.

I’m about half way up the 80’ or so route. Well past the crux, and the route is well protected. I kinda throw/grab for this ledge. As I do that, I find it’s actually pretty sandy on top (recent rain). So, now I’m struggling my way up. I don’t have the ledge, and I don’t have feet, but I’m inching and inching my way up. All of the sudden, some total ass hat starts yelling at me. I can tell it’s not my wife, so I don’t know what the f*ck is going on. Totally breaks my concentration and I have myself a whip. Not bad. It’s a fairly smooth face so I just slid a bit until my figure 8 said “good luck with me buddy”.

This total dick proceeds to tell me that I really should lower down and call it a day on that route. I never fell till he started yelling!!! He continues to tell me that from where I was, for the complete rest of the route, there’s no pro at all. I have the beta for the route. I’m well aware there’s great pro. I told him I can see it from where I am. He then tells me “Well I climb out here 175 days a year and I know that route and there’s nothing”. Then actually tells my wife that she should convince me to come down. I know he’s lying to me about the lack of pro and I’m not leaving booty on this rock for him. So both my wife and I completely ignore him and I start making my way up again. As I’m climbing, my wife can overhear him telling his (all female) group that safety should be first and not ego blah blah blah I’m the best climber in the world diarrhea out my mouth etc. 

I end up climbing the rest of the route fairly easily, sewing it right up. The guy says nothing to me when I reach the top, nothing when I lower down, and nothing as we pack up and leave. Not only that, this nimrod can’t even look in my direction, as I’m just smiling.

It would be one thing to say something to me after I whipped (which I can thank him for his part in). But to just be yelling randomly at a climber on the wall to get off??? Anyone else ever experience this douchebaggery??? Dude, if you only climb things completely in your comfort zone that you’re absolutely sure you’ll never fall on, do your thing. But leave me the f*ck alone to do mine. Prick does that again and I’m cramming my #3 directly up his psycho-level egotistical fudge knot.
(End of rant) 

Who does he work for? Call them.

Tradiban wrote:

Who does he work for? Call them.

We’ve seen him out there before. I’m not sure who he works for, but I am sure I’ll see him again..

Scott Doering wrote:

We’ve seen him out there before. I’m not sure who he works for, but I am sure I’ll see him again..

Find out and send me the info, I will take care of the rest.

Tradiban wrote:

Find out and send me the info, I will take care of the rest.

*cracks knuckles*

When climbing, especially radi tradi, you need to keep your cool, remain focused on the task at hand even if a hold breaks, a piece falls out, a bird flies out in your face or some D Bag is shouting at you. Zen it up my friend. This is about you, not him. 

Well he’s reading every word here because he looked up my name and left a message for me to call him. I did and he said we needed to clear the air. So I cleared it right the f*ck up for him, standing by every single word I’ve said here. I’m guessing he wanted or expected the conversation to go very differently. He ended by just apologizing because he didn’t mean to offend me, which I told him I didn’t buy when he’s talkin shit behind my back. I don’t do that. So that’s that.
(Not posting his personal info. But I could. So maybe shit like this is something he may want to think about in the future. Also, just so he knows how the Gunks App works.. 5.8(5.5R) means that the route is 5.8 and for the most part protects well except for a very easy section which is 5.5R. Good pro on the rest of the route. You learn something every day). 

Tradiban's tough-guy posturing aside, I actually agree that if we works for a larger guide agency it would be worth calling them and informing them of the behavior of a guide they have hired. This would be an entirely appropriate thing to do.

I don't think you should put his name out on the internet though.